Tag Archives: NIV

When I watch the news and see the awful weather situations others are in, I wonder how I would cope in such terrible circumstances. There but for the grace of God; for any of that could happen to us too.

Are there no good news stories? If the TV stations went looking, they would find people thanking God for their miraculous escapes. So now let’s peruse our own life for a minute. Whatever your awful is right now, God is in charge of it. You can trust him to see you through and get you to where he wants you to be.

Just listen to this:

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. (Isaiah 43:2, NIV)

In today’s English, a word lover, a word buff. I guess you’d expect nothing less from a writer. If I didn’t love words it would be like a chef not liking food or a mechanic who doesn’t like grease! I’m fascinated with any play on words, subtle humour or quirky lines that are funny just because.

For instance these strike me as laughable: The bargain basement is upstairs. Please return the step ladder, or other steps will be taken.

But the best word ever is this one that tells how the Word became flesh! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, NIV)

I really didn’t believe I’d be on hopestreamradio.com until I actually heard my voice there. I’d done all the prep work of course, but when they actually played my first session? Wow! Did Moses feel the same way when God told him to lead the Israelites out of slavery into the Promised Land? (Exodus 3:16). He did what he was told but maybe he only really believed it when he actually saw it with his own eyes. (GOD took you right out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to become the people of his inheritance—and that’s what you are this very day. (Deuteronomy 4:20, MSG) Are you that kind of believer too? You know, the Alice in Wonderland Believer? “There is no use trying,” said Alice. “One can’t believe impossible things.” “I dare say you haven’t had much practice. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” (Lewis Carroll from “Alice in Wonderland) What is the Lord asking you to believe today? May you find him faithful… because he is–no matter what we may believe at the time. Prayer – Thank you God, that you are faithful, always. Amen. (1 Corinthians 1:9, NIV)

Our generation lives in a state of food fear based on weight loss, organic, raw, vegan, and more. Let these verses help you decide what is right for you personally (and NOT right for you to shove down the throats of others.)

What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth that is what defiles them.” (Matthew 15:11, NIV)

We’ve been told recently not to wash our jeans. Instead we are to place them in the freezer (UGH!) to kill the smell (UGH!) and then wear them again. (UGH!) Some say they haven’t washed their jeans in a year or more. (UGH!)

Is it possible that these folks have fifty pairs of jeans and wear them once a year? Perhaps their particular jeans were not in sweaty conditions on a construction site, or did not endure baby slobbers and sand box trauma. Dirt is dirt. Common sense is dying a slow, painful death in North America.

When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. (2 Corinthians 10:12b, NIV) The only word that is 100% true is the one God gave us.

Prayer- Lord, guide us in your truth and teach us for you are our God, our Savior and our hope. (From Psalm 25:5, NIV) Amen

He sent his soup back because it was too thick, his steak because it was too well done and his dessert because it didn’t have enough sauce. He caused the staff more work than all the rest of the customers put together and then didn’t leave a tip.

Any person in a starving third world country would have been thankful for any one of those dishes for it might be all they had to eat that day. They would never have said no to any of that food.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7, NIV)

Prayer- Thank you Lord for reminding us that while we have the luxury of saying no, it does mean it’s always right to say it. Amen

Several people from several different churches tell me that they are leaving their congregations because no one speaks to them. Let’s examine this with great care.

Where does it say that the other guy has to speak first? What if all the congregants are thinking the same thing? What if everyone leaves their church and moves to the other churches where no one speaks?

Where in the Bible does it say we must be spoken to at our whim or that being offended is a reason to move on? It doesn’t. However the Bible does say this.

Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. (Proverbs 17:9, NIV)

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.(Proverbs 19:11b, NIV)

Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. (Ezekiel 18:30b, NIV)

See you all in church.

Prayer- Lord, make us a people of common sense before it is too late. For the Christ who died so that we could love and be loved…Amen.